Coming to campus Friday night is the first annual Laser Night for the Fight, a fundraising event sponsored by girls’ social club Phi Nu.
For a five-dollar donation, students can experience a custom-built laser tag stage inside the Student Activities Center. Once completing a round of laser tag, students can enjoy concessions, a photo booth, enter into a raffle or play volleyball and other games set up on the second court of the SAC.
“We wanted to offer something new, something different,” Phi Nu senior treasurer Jaime Pawlitschek said. “We really looked at events that were held on campus and things that were different from what other clubs do. This event is something that we don’t have anything comparable to.”
All proceeds and donations go toward the Gardner family and will benefit the Live Like Bella organization, a childhood cancer foundation.
“Our official philanthropy for the club is breast cancer awareness, but cancer in general is something that God really laid on our hearts to build awareness and support,” Pawlitschek said. “Because we saw it affecting one of our own sisters, we could not think of any organization more deserving, at this time, of our donation in the Gardner’s family time of need.”
Sophomore Ryann Gardner, an active member of Phi Nu, has a younger sister who is in remission from cancer. The club saw a need within the Gardner family and began searching for ways to contribute.
“My family was fortunate enough to be able to afford my sister’s treatment, but I know that for many families that isn’t an option, so organizations like Live Like Bella really offer these kids and their families a second chance,” Gardner said.
Phi Nu was established in 2012 and took it’s first pledge class in the Spring 2013 semester. Laser Night for the Fight is the group’s first campus-wide philanthropy event and will be held annually for as long as Phi Nu is an active social club on campus.
The event falls in the middle of the spring 2016 rush process and Phi Nu invites any girl who is looking for a community on campus where she can feel loved and encouraged, grow spiritually and have a lot of fun to consider rushing the club.
“The student body should definitely come to this event because it is something that hasn’t been offered before,” Pawlitschek said. “It is five-dollars for a night to spend laughing with friends — where can you find laser tag and more for five-dollars?
“But also this night is more than laser tag — this night is about raising money for children with cancer. This night is for helping a family right here in our Lipscomb community.”